Read Online THE DEFIANT LADY by Samantha Garman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Samantha Garman
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and helped Ivy dismount. He held her for a moment longer than was necessary, and when she looked up at him, she bit her lip, silently pleading for him to kiss her again. He grinned slowly, as if he knew what she wanted.
As he escorted her toward the manor, he whispered into her ear, “I am overjoyed that you want me to kiss you.”
She gasped. “ Un diable !”
He laughed as they walked into the drawing room, finding the Duchess enjoying a cup of tea.
“Hello, Your Grace,” Cy greeted.
“Stanton,” the Duchess said, inclining her head.
“Where is Willow?” Ivy inquired.
“Painting. Shall I call for her?” the Duchess asked.
When Willow joined them, she turned to Cy and said, “Pleasure to meet you, My Lord.”
Cy bowed. “I am glad to finally meet your acquaintance.”
“Please, sit,” the Duchess remarked.
When they were all seated, Ivy began, “The Earl of Stanton and I…have agreed… that is…” She looked at Cy beseechingly.
“I have asked Ivy to marry me and she has accepted,” he said succinctly, giving Ivy a grin and wink.
The Duchess showed very little reaction to the news of her granddaughter’s engagement. Willow was not so tightlipped.
“This is wonderful!” Willow looked at Cy and said, “You do know you must give the sister of your intended bride gifts to ensure that she supports the match.”
Cy threw his head back and shouted with laughter and said, “I wonder how much this will cost me.”
“Ivy loves horses, but if you would like to have a sculpture erected in my honor, that would be perfectly acceptable,” Willow said blithely.
“I will have it commissioned at once,” Cy teased.
Once they all celebrated with a quick glass of champagne, Cy excused himself to leave. As Ivy saw him out, Willow looked at the Duchess and said, “Are you not happy with the outcome?”
The Duchess’s stoic face remained impassive. “Happy? I am actually quite ecstatic.”
Willow’s mouth quirked into a smile and she joked, “Oh yes, I must have forgotten. That is your ‘happy’ face.”
The Duchess did not smile, but Willow swore she saw a glimmer of amusement.
Chapter VI
Hampshire, England, April of 1815
“I thought it would be appropriate to spend a few hours each day with my new fiancée,” Cy explained to Ivy the next afternoon when he came to call.
She smiled thoughtfully and asked, “Are you courting me, sir? After the betrothal?”
He winked. “I must make sure you have no reason to leave me at the altar.”
“Ah,” she replied in understanding. “Then by all means, court away.”
Cy laughed. “Do you play chess?”
“No.”
“Care to learn?” He reached for the bell on the side table and rang for a maid to bring them a chess set. After the maid left, Ivy picked up the ornately carved pieces and began to examine them.
Cy then began to teach her the rudiments of chess. An hour later she had him laughing uproariously when she groaned, “This will take years to master! I am making up my own rules.” She then moved her Queen illegally and jumped a few spaces so that her Queen was in front of Cy’s King.
“Check mate.”
Cy looked at her for a moment and then remarked good-naturedly, “Then I get to make up my own rules, too.”
She inclined her head. “Naturally.”
He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “I want stories. I want to know everything about you. I am ravenous for information.”
Warmth settled low in her belly, desire twirling through her. Only Cy had ever made her feel this way, like she had performed a dozen pirouettes in a row. She felt lightheaded, her breathing shallow. His mouth was close to hers, the male scent of him doing dangerous things to her mind.
“Tell me about your life in Paris, your childhood.” He reached out to stroke her cheek.
She smiled, enjoying his outward show of affection. She thought for a moment. “I pummeled a boy when I was thirteen years old.”
Cy choked on his laughter.
As he escorted her toward the manor, he whispered into her ear, “I am overjoyed that you want me to kiss you.”
She gasped. “ Un diable !”
He laughed as they walked into the drawing room, finding the Duchess enjoying a cup of tea.
“Hello, Your Grace,” Cy greeted.
“Stanton,” the Duchess said, inclining her head.
“Where is Willow?” Ivy inquired.
“Painting. Shall I call for her?” the Duchess asked.
When Willow joined them, she turned to Cy and said, “Pleasure to meet you, My Lord.”
Cy bowed. “I am glad to finally meet your acquaintance.”
“Please, sit,” the Duchess remarked.
When they were all seated, Ivy began, “The Earl of Stanton and I…have agreed… that is…” She looked at Cy beseechingly.
“I have asked Ivy to marry me and she has accepted,” he said succinctly, giving Ivy a grin and wink.
The Duchess showed very little reaction to the news of her granddaughter’s engagement. Willow was not so tightlipped.
“This is wonderful!” Willow looked at Cy and said, “You do know you must give the sister of your intended bride gifts to ensure that she supports the match.”
Cy threw his head back and shouted with laughter and said, “I wonder how much this will cost me.”
“Ivy loves horses, but if you would like to have a sculpture erected in my honor, that would be perfectly acceptable,” Willow said blithely.
“I will have it commissioned at once,” Cy teased.
Once they all celebrated with a quick glass of champagne, Cy excused himself to leave. As Ivy saw him out, Willow looked at the Duchess and said, “Are you not happy with the outcome?”
The Duchess’s stoic face remained impassive. “Happy? I am actually quite ecstatic.”
Willow’s mouth quirked into a smile and she joked, “Oh yes, I must have forgotten. That is your ‘happy’ face.”
The Duchess did not smile, but Willow swore she saw a glimmer of amusement.
Chapter VI
Hampshire, England, April of 1815
“I thought it would be appropriate to spend a few hours each day with my new fiancée,” Cy explained to Ivy the next afternoon when he came to call.
She smiled thoughtfully and asked, “Are you courting me, sir? After the betrothal?”
He winked. “I must make sure you have no reason to leave me at the altar.”
“Ah,” she replied in understanding. “Then by all means, court away.”
Cy laughed. “Do you play chess?”
“No.”
“Care to learn?” He reached for the bell on the side table and rang for a maid to bring them a chess set. After the maid left, Ivy picked up the ornately carved pieces and began to examine them.
Cy then began to teach her the rudiments of chess. An hour later she had him laughing uproariously when she groaned, “This will take years to master! I am making up my own rules.” She then moved her Queen illegally and jumped a few spaces so that her Queen was in front of Cy’s King.
“Check mate.”
Cy looked at her for a moment and then remarked good-naturedly, “Then I get to make up my own rules, too.”
She inclined her head. “Naturally.”
He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “I want stories. I want to know everything about you. I am ravenous for information.”
Warmth settled low in her belly, desire twirling through her. Only Cy had ever made her feel this way, like she had performed a dozen pirouettes in a row. She felt lightheaded, her breathing shallow. His mouth was close to hers, the male scent of him doing dangerous things to her mind.
“Tell me about your life in Paris, your childhood.” He reached out to stroke her cheek.
She smiled, enjoying his outward show of affection. She thought for a moment. “I pummeled a boy when I was thirteen years old.”
Cy choked on his laughter.
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